Understand the difference between codecs, formats, and standards in plain English.
Core concepts

Codec

vs
Format vs Standard

These terms are often mixed up. Understanding the difference makes everything else about audio and video much easier.

TL;DR: codecs compress data, formats package it, and standards ensure it is played back correctly.
Codec • Container • Playback

TL;DR

Codec: compression

Format: container

Standard: playback rules

Simple diagram

Codec (Compression)

Examples: H.264, AV1, AAC, FLAC

↓
Format / Container

Examples: MP4, MKV, WebM

↓
Standard / Playback

Examples: THX, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X